Podcasts about queerradio

Heather and Jonny confront two stories of mass shootings this week, one in Canada with a confirmed transgender assailant and one in Rhode Island with an alleged transgender shooter. They approach this difficult topic with a couple of key reminders: First, an inventory of their local organizations and meeting groups available to help people struggling to know that they have support and a community. Second, they review the crime statistics which have not changed significantly even if these are acts of violence by transgender people.Finally, they examine this phenomenon as something profoundly exacerbated by disconfirmations, interpersonal and institutional. They review an inventory of this week's LGBTQ+ disconfirmations. 

Jonny and Heather celebrate an unnexpacted and probably lasting warmer rest of February. They turn their attention to the World Human Rights report that notes the USAmerican impact on LGBTQ+ rights globally. They examine several examples of this unfortunate trend in Democratic Recession. In the back half of the show they turn to the great cultural distraction of ahtletics where two big sporty rituals--the Winter Olympics and The Superb Owl--give examples of both queer victories and queer losses. But with a bite of an ambiguously diverse oatmeal cookie, we are still in the game!

Jonny welcomes Heather back to the show, although there is still snow on the roads and the cold is only now slowly loosening its grip. They vortex out from Southern Illinois, discussing new assaults on LGBTQ+ rights, beyound ICE protests or the Epstein Files. In the back half of the show, they look to entertainment, significant political wins, and polling from a surprising source that this assault on human rights and turn to authoritarianism are encountering serious resistance. Throughout the show, they shout-out to the "Puzzle and Podcast" weekly event being hosted by the Paulette Curkin Pride Resource Center on the SIU Campus. 

Jonny and Heather are both snowed in this week, but Jonny has a good mic and computer and power at home, so he offers this episode born from staying home during snow and SERIOUS cold. He begins with acknowledgement of the weather and the hypocrisy of climate change denial before moving to Trump administration hypocrisy about Anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis, especially around the shooting of Alex Pretti. He then shares a post from an online gay men's group expressing the rest of the word's frustration with Trump, followed by his own posted response laying out the dangers of assuming the current geopolitical crisis is the result of one man. Picking up onpart of his response, in the back half of the show he leans into queer-friendly and queer-written S/F and a contemplation of how visions of the future or alternative realities are more often estranged visions of aspects of the now. If you are interested in the GRIS book club mentioned in the podcast, you can find more about here: https://www.goldenrainbows.org/services-2(The GRIS website identifies this as a 2025 activity, but it is still going on. The contact information there is still uptodate.)

Jonny is fresh back from the annual winter retreat of Gay Spirit Visions' winter gathering where the theme was protecting our joy while we live through a dumpster fire. Heather helps him unpack the necessity to be aware of the dumpster fire even as we choose to put our energies elsewhere. They review several of the last week's turns in the news that build the flames even as Minnesota learns to use ice against ICE. In the back half of the show they turn to a disturbing trend in declining support for LGBTQ+ rights, including marriage equality, even among younger members of the population. They explore various factors that might have caused it and recent trends in popular culture that give them hope declining support is more of a temporary dip than the edge of a cliff.

Jonny and Heather dive deep into the implications of an ICE agent's killing of Rene Good in Minneapolis this past week. The murder of a queer mother of three is bad enough, but the government's reactions demonstrate an  accumulating pattern of response that is most disturbing. In the back half of the show, they examine rights and retirements under fire and the court cases to defend the rights and pensions of those wronged. In this collection of stories, Jonny and Heather highlight the evidence that the Trump Administration's reach is actually facing serious pushback from within. Stick around to the end to learn why Heather deserves a big CONGRATULATIONS!

Jonny and Heather offer an overview of trends from 2025, linking the hard lessons learned about AI to the hard lessons learned from the first year of Trump 2.0. In the back half of the show, they turn a prophetic gaze toward the future and make some broad predictions for 2026. They dare to hope that after all of the suffering the world might actually be learning to be a little less phobic toward human diversity.

Jonny assembes a mix tape of 2025's contributors to IIQ as well as a sampling of some of the strange stories he and Heather have discussed in the past year. The show may be queer but the year was just downright WEIRD!

Jonny and Heather lean into the holiday season to see the various factors affecting LGBTQ+ communities as gifts--some are gifts we never wanted, some are incomplete, some come from Secret Santas, and some are true charitable contributions to the community. In the podcast, we mention our Flipboard magazing where you can find lists of good LGBTQ+ Nonprofit organizations to support this holiday season. Go here for the lists: Isn't It Queer on Flipboard.

Jonny and Heather take a deep dive into what "community" means when we reference the LGBTQ+ community and the idea that leanng into community is how we protect ourselves from the abuses of power that threaten us. In the back (not quite) half of the show, they demonstrate how the current infighting and boundary breaking of the MAGA community is a real indication of what can happen when community fails.

Jonny and Heather prepare for a pending brutal cold streak by diving into the heat of ongoing culture wars. It's not just political power that forms authoritarian states; despots gotta change the culture! So far, that aint going so well for our would-be dear leader. Where his cult brings on the pressure, many are pushning back--and not just in this country. Queer and trans folks are definitely increasingly targetted, but we ain't takin' it lying down. It may not be easy as pie, but at least our awards are well earned!

Jonny and Heather discuss a host of current event stories that indicate the political winds are shifting. Ultimately, this is good news for the LGBTQ+ community, even if the current turbulence is still causing us torubles.Real evidence emerges that MAGA is breaking up and the Trump Administration's iron grip of the GOP is crumbling.

Jonny and Heather welcome Thanksgiving with gratitude built on how things are and how they are not. In looking at a few recent stories in the news, they frame them through the lens of "what if things had been different?" In the back half of the show, they share a scene from the recent performance "At a Crossroads" presented in the Marion Kleinau Theatre and directed/compiled by Dr. Shelby Swafford. In the scene, Jessica Paxton, Maddison Marshall, and M Kamara interweave pieces they devised for the show responding to a prompt on alternative histories, contemplating the world and the country at a crossroads and choosing a different path. 

On the other side of auroras in Southern Illinois, Jonny and Heather dive into some weird stories--like the aurora, things they thought they would never see, at least not down here. In the front half of the show they review the more typical good and bad news for the LGBTQ+ community under the current regime. In the back half of the show they dive into the truly strange, not all of it having to do with more released Epstein information.

In the front half of the show, Jonny interviews Junara, Grace, M, and Shelby--the director and some of the devising cast from "At a Crossroads," a performance in the Kleinau Theatre opening this Thursday. They discuss the crossroads metaphor and how the show leans into LGBTQ+ themes. In the back half of the show, Jonny and Heather discuss the crossroads we are currently at, following last week's off-term elections, SCOTUS decisions, and the apparent possible ending of the government shutdown. They also pause to celebrate Veterans Day, noting that LGBTQ+ people have always served in the military and always will. See our Facebook and Webpage for a link to a schedule of events for Trans Aawreness Week leading up to the Trans Day of Remembrance.

Jonny and Heather hike into the landscape of major media stories dropped in just the last week. We know President Trump saturates the airwaves in order to both benefit from the attention economy and distract from his administration's more nefarious moves. Using Heather's background in Army Intelligence, they look for patterns across the stories, and they find evidence of severe vulnerabilities. In the back half of the show they examine the two main competing strategies in the opposition and which they think is likely to be more successful and better for the LGBTQ+ community.

Jonny and Heather start out the show reveling in some new media that shows representations of queer and trans identities are still prevalent in popular culture. Even where books and professors have been silenced, there are signs of successful resistance. In the back half of the show they discuss the recent No Kings protest and how the Trump Administration's and GOP's responses to it reveal how weak they really are. 

Jonny and Heather examine what appear to be cracks forming in and between the GOP and the Trump Administration. Although the authoritarian state still continues to form, it is hitting some serious snags. They discuss a wide range of responses to trans rights across a wide political spectrum. The look into military airplanes from Qatar and Texas taking up Florida's obsession with rainbow crosswalks. In the back half of the show they do a quick review of some SCOTUS questioning about conversion therapy. They also lament the power position lesbian TERF Bari Weiss will have over CBS News. They shift to good news, including a history of ice cream in LGBTQ+ protests, and end with some announcements of upcoming events in Southern Illinois. 

Jonny relies on Heather's military background to explain just how awful the Secretary Hegseth and President Trump addresses to the military flag officers was. Heather corrects Pete on what a real "warrior ehtic" is. Despite the abuse of military power, especially in attempts to turn it on the so-called "enemy within" in US cities like Chicago and Portland, the real message is one of weakness. In the back half of the show, they discuss the comedy of errors that is the government shutdown and how it, too, is a sign of growing weakness in the Trump Administration. They then turn to some stories about actual commedians before ending with a revised schedule of upcoming LGBTQ+ History Month events in the Carbondale, IL area.

Heather and Jonny briefly check in on recent assaults on LGBTQIA+ rights, particularly Trans Rights. They quickly move to a celebration of upcoming events this weekend kicking off LGBTQIA+ History Month and other Southern Illinois Pride festivities. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Dr. Desiree Rowe about her guest artist visit to the SIU, including her presentation of "Wave 01.12.22"--a performance about grief in the wake of CoVid 19 and the persistence of anti-vax practices within the on-going pandemic. Paulette Curkin Pride Resource Center LGBTQIA+ History Month event schedule: https://smrc.siu.edu/lgbtq/programming/Rainbow Space Magic free online conference: https://www.eventbookings.com/b/event/rainbow-space-magic-2025?occurrence=3b31c1

Jonny interviews Billy of Golden Rainbows of Illinois South (GRIS) and Juniper, the coordinator of the Paulette Curkin Pride Resource Center--Southern Illinois University's LGBTQIA+ resource center. They discuss the upcoming events for LGBTQIA+ History Month in October. In the Back half of the show, Jonny talks with nomadic co-host Heather from the RV about disturbing developments for the trans community in the last week. At the time of posting, the calendar of October events is not yet up. Please connect with the Paulette Curkin Pride Resource Center (https://smrc.siu.edu/lgbtq/) or the Isn't it Queer website (https://isntitqueerwdbxsoil.blogspot.com/) for details and dates about October's MANY events!

Jonny and Heather are joined by Rey and Dan who are visiting Carbondale from Central Texas where they listen to the show. They join the team while they are on vacation to dive back into news they have otherwise successfully avoided for a week. Together, the foursome parse the consequences of Charlie Kirk's assassination last week. In the back half of the show they turn to victories, however small, for the LGBTQ+ community in this increasing hotile environment.. 

Jonny and Heather celebrate Heather's birthday by diving into the rights being taken from trans folks, from right to possess firearms to the right to use the bathroom. They also discuss the current threats to Marriage Equality and some of the ludicrous positions for its dismantlement. In the back half of the show, the move to a recounting of successful protests and challenges to the increasingly threatening choices of the current administration. They also offer resources on enhancing queer independent media. 

Jonny and Heather discuss the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School last week and the attemps on the Right to make the tragedy about the "mental illness" of transgender identity. In the back half of the show, in the spirit of Labor Day when the show was recorded, they lean into the impacts the current administration is having on labor in the nation. They also consider the consequences of loss of expertise in the CDC and the sciences in general all while rumors of President Trump's death circulate on the internet.

Jonny and Heather review some of the recent developments in the US's devolution into authoritarianism, with a focus on impacts to LGBTQ+ communities. It's dire af, y'all! In the back half of the show, they examine some queer heroes or "queeroes" stepping up to the plate. Some of them may be anti-queeroes and none of them are pure queer angels (well, almost none), but the battle is real and how we fight and defend ourselves is what matters most. 

Jonny and Heather review some recent stories about the impact of AI on the LGBTQ+ community. While some of that is chatbot horror stories, much of it also shows possibilities for building stronger communities. In that latter vein, in the back half of the show Jonny interviews Jaron Soh, co-creator of Voda, a mental health app for the LGBTQIA+ community. They discuss what Voda provides, how AI ethically assists with that, and how the app came to be. You can find more information about Voda here: https://www.voda.co/

Jonny and Heather adapt to warming conditions and the failure of AC in their ecording studio, bringing an episode made in the virtual space of a Zoom meeting. They assess some particularly aggregious new assaults on trans rights, including the failure to honor the retirement benefits of Air Force members forced into early retirement for being trans. They also weigh in on Pete Buttigieg's mixed messages on trans support and the need for clearer, unambiguous support for trans rights in the resistance. In the back half of the show, they turn to the threats posed to other LGBTQ rights, including a full court press on overturning Marriage Equality and members of the administration's connections to platforms proud of their misogyny, transphobia, and homophobia. Unfortunately, the only real solace in all of this is the infighting and incompetence among the fascists and haters.

Jonny and Heather are back from their different trips. They pick up stories they missed while away and tie a common thread through them of the problem with manipulating data when you don't agree with the findings. While this has been common practice when justifying homophobic and transphobic legislation, it is now increasingly becoming the borader practice of an emerging authoritarian state.

Jonny and Heather ponder the many unsuccessful attempts by the Trump Administration to distract the public from the persistent scandal of the Epstein Files. In the process, they ponder what other important stories the current fascination with that conspiracy might be eclipsing. They look at recent disturbing developments in military and athletic trans-bans. In the back half of the show, they update on stories about eroding gender affirming care and impacts of hasty deportation and immigration control. While these are NOT the kinds of stories Trump would use as distractions, and they deserve our vigilant attention, we also acknowledge: TRUMP IS ON THE LIST!

Jonny is joined by Craig to discuss recent developments that suggest reality is starting to beat attempts to shape it through rhetoric, albeit all while relying on narrative. They look at the pushback against Alligator Alcatraz, the persistence of the Epstein Lists conspiracy, and the pushback on an Indianapolis pastor calling for the execution of LGBTQ+ people as evidence that ideologues can go too far. In the back half of the show, they discuss examples of how a desire for compassion and empathy can erode ideologies of oppression, with some specific attention paid to why conservatives seem threatened by the new Superman movie.

Jonny and Heather begin with a thesis that the weather is transphobic. This not-entirely-serious claim is used as a foil to discuss disinformation and misinformation campaigns. They examine several current event stories impacted by such spin, including: the Texas floods, the Everglades detention center, myths about undocumented immigration, and trans ban legislation.In the back half of the show, Jonny picks up the thread of AI's role in producing deep fakes and contributing to disinformation campaigns, but then offeres a more queer/nonbnary take on AI that examines ethical possibilities and recurrent fantasies about the nonnormative potential of robots. 

Jonny and Heather celebrate the end of a very busy and very good Pride Month while also taking stock of a lot of bad news for the LGBTQ+ community this past weekend. After reviewing SCOTUS decisions and developments in the BBB, in the back half of the show they turn to why visibility matters, especially at a time when people are trying to erase us.

Jonny and Heather process their weekend, which included domestic packing, Pride celebrations, and the threat of WWIII starting in the Middle East. They turn from this big bomb to the bombshell the SCOTUS dropped in its US v. Skrmetti decision. There is quite a lot of fallout already from that explosive ruling. In the back half of the show they explore queer and trans joy as activists' strategy and tactic, starting with an empowering gift from a fan of the show. The fight isn't over, folks, and we will prevail!

Jonny and  Heather are joined by local queer and trans artist, Brooke Yandle, creator of Hawthorne Art. Together, they discuss the challenges of making a living as an artist in a small town before turning their attention to assessing this past weekend's Pride on the Strip events, No Kings protest rally, and Trump's Washington DC parade ostensibly honoring the 250th birthday of the US Military. Veteran and aesthetic critiques proves very insightful and revealing.

Jonny and Heather start off with a little reflection on the street actions during Pride Month so far. This includes various offcial Pride maches and activities as well as unrelated yet akin protests in LA. And then, well, the big Pride Month break up of a same sex marriage at the federal level. Shade! They eschew the drama on the streets for drama on the page, reviewing and recommending some trans authored novels, starting with Heather's own Goodbye, Hello.Several other authors' recent works are also examined, proving to be as genre fluid as they are gender fluid. The show ends with a rundown of Pride events planned in Carbondale this coming Saturday (6/14)

Jonny digs into the archive pulling an episode about queer ecology from Earth Day (April 22) 2024. Jonny and Heather are on the road and unable to make a new episode this week.

Jonny and Heatherreflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day and why it is a somber holiday of remembrance. They offer a queer and trans infused contemplation of the military in contrast to the Trump Administration's approach, and link their focus to the real purpose of Pride. In the back half of the show they take a deeper look at the Big "Beautiful" Bill that narrowly passed the House and appears to have stalled in the Senate (for now). The review several victories in courts and legislatures where Trumps anti-LGBTQ agenda is being thwarted.

Jonny and Heather lead off with recognition of the Agender Day of Visibility (Monday, May 19). They then turn to issues of local concern in Southern Illinois, including recent deadly tornadoes, current summer Pride plans, Governor Pritzker's visit, and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton's endorsement by 50 Illinois LGBTQ leaders in her bid for the US Senate. In the back half of the show they discuss the Trump administration's attempts to distract public attention with outrage over "86 49" alleged threats. Instead of giving that drama queen response much attention, they focus on what the Trump administraion probably doesn't want us talking about this week--there is SO much!!!!

Jonny and Craig give their recap on Mothers Day. They then turn to a hopeful analysis of the Catholic Church's new Pope, Pope Leo XIV. In the back half of the show, they turn to a discussion of how Trump's federal funding restrictions impact the services national support groups can provide, with a focus on Craig's recent struggles with FND Hope.

Jonny and Heather celebrate the official debut of Tesserae, Cabondale's premier queer+ choir and the incredible turnout of community support.They then turn from the audible to the visible to discuss the queer stories this week about photo manipulation. In the back half of the show they briefly review the rotten tomato of the Trump Administration's report and advisement policies for trans youth. They then share some stories of how queers are making small changes to blend in, contrasting those survival tricks with VP "Shady" Vance's preference for "normal gays." It's a show with a slightly different take than the usual on queer visibility.

Send us a textOn this episode, we speak with Tony's Place executive director Carrie Rai and catch up with this organization providing services to LGBT youth.  Then we have a conversation with Dixie Longate and her Tupperware Party. And finally we speak with Judy L Reeves about the Gulf Coast Archive and Museum of GLBT History, Inc. (GCAM), Queer Radio and the late Jimmy Carper.Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ andhttps://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

Jonny and Heather discuss disturbing trends in the US and UK to link neurodivergence like autism and ADHD with queer and trans identity. They explore some of the productive correlations and some of the ones more likely to lead to state-sponsored suppression. In the back half of the show they examine some examples of conflict within movements, resistance and/or LGBTQ+ rights--when they can be productive and when they aren't. The two halves come together in an acknowledgment that diversity can be challenging but ultimately it is necessary.

Jonny and Heather start off the show discussing Jonny's rececent recogntion with the SIU Sturgis Award for Community Service. They talk about local community activism and support, including turnout out at this weekend's "Hands Off" protest, again despite the terrible weather. They talk about the Illinois High School Association's support for trans athletes.The then shift to the Deat of Poe Francis and the likely connections to this event will have to Trump adminiistration machinations. In the back half of the show, they turn to legal dramas in the US and UK Supreme Courts. They end with some announcements of local community events and a call to think globablly but act locally.

Jonny and Heather discuss Heather's new novel, Goodbye Hello, an unconventional romance that begins with grief at a funeral. In the back half of the show, they examine new turns in the anti-trans rhetoric of TERFs and transphobes, turns meant to be rebuttals to arguments for trans righs. They offer rebuttals to the rebuttals and note the pervasive function of caricature as a tool of scapegoating embedded in all the antitrans rhetoric.

Jonny and Heather check in on getting through some intense midwest weather, complete with flooding and tornadoes. Despite these challenges, the "Queer Stories, Queer Spaces" oral history installation had a great opening reception in the Sharp Museum on the SIU campus. Also, despite the cancellation of protests in our area due to the weather, great numbers showed up to join the "Hands Off" event in Carbomdale. They discuss the incredible turnout for this protest around the country and in Europe, noting especially the involvement and recent protests held by LGBTQ+ and other veterans. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews photographer Nick Blair, whose exhibit "Castro to Christopher: Gay Streets of America 1979-1986" opens in the Sharp Museum this Friday. They discuss the art of photography and the incredible power of visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in their neighborhood streets and in public. 

Jonny and Heather are joined by Craig as we record this episode on Trans Day of Visibility. We discuss visibility, the good and the bad kind, as Craig conemplates the consequences of the Trump Admin challenging California's laws aganst teachers mandated to report any and all gender variance in students t their parents. The consequences of related grade school traumas stay with us our entire lives. We also lean into fighting deliberate efforts at trans erasure. In the back half of the show, Jonny shares exerptes from oral histories that are (and are not) part of the upcoming installation in the Sharp Museum on the SIU Campus, "Queer Stories/Queer Spaces: Histories and Queertographies." He shares particularly oral histories about the local LGBTQ+ swimming hole, The Pit.

Jonny interviews Casey and Jamie about their project, "Laveder House," a center for mutual support for the transgender communiy in Carbondale. In the process of sharing information about this resource, Jamie and Casey tell part of their story about living in Florida and why they left. In the back half of the show, Heather and Jonny discuss a new Transgender Spiritual group Heather will be hosting at the Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship (CUF). They connect the dots on the costs of separatism and the benefits of wholism. They analze how the current strategy of the DNC, including Rep. Sarah McBride as a spokeswoman, misses the boat on connecting their constituents' concerns as they deemphasize trans rights advocacy. They close out the show with a review of the many events this weekend celebrating Monday's Transgender Day of Visibility. If you would like to connect with the Carbondale Lavender House, please send a text message to 618-203-9520.

Heather sits down with Morgan and Ryland of the Downstate Illinois Transgender Organization (DITO) to talk about the organization, Lavender House, and upcoming Transgender Day of Visibility events. In the back half of the show, Jonny sits down with Alex Socoro and Kelsey Maffett of the Rainbow Cafe to talk about upcoming TDOV events and how the organization is weathering the challenges of the current political climate. 

Jonny and Heaher take a moment to recognize Heather's 20th Anniversary of being married to Kaye and reflect generally on Marriage Equality. They then lead off with some stories of success in the current less than supportive climate. In the back half of the show, they follow President Trump's transgenic mouse down a hole about the biology and neuroscience validating and explaining the existence of transgender people. They are not surprised that science is as much a target of the current regime as the LGBTQ+ community.

Jonny and Heather process the Great Ukraine White House Debacle from Friday. They note how the spectacle might be overshadowing other developmensts of unprecedented policy changes worthy of our LGBTQ+ vigilance. Oh yeah, and they note in passing that the Oscars happened (yawn). In the back half of the show they look at trends that give us hope as well as tools for using our consumer dollars to bring about change. Hint: don't buy a Tesla!